North American aluminum demand up 5.3% in 2012 on year: Aluminum Association

US and Canada aluminum demand (shipments by domestic producers plus imports) totaled an estimated 23.038 billion lb in 2012, 5.3% over 2011, according to figures released Monday by the Aluminum Association.

Demand for semi-fabricated (mill) products was up 4.3% to a total of 15.592 billion lb. Apparent consumption (demand less exports) in domestic markets totaled an estimated 19.316 billion lb, up 6.6%.

Exports of aluminum ingot and mill products from the US and Canada (excluding cross-border trade) totaled 3.722 billion lb in 2012, down 1.3% from last year, while imports have increased 3.8% to 4,383 million lb.

Demand for aluminum semi-fabricated [mill] products in the US and Canada (measured in shipments by domestic producers plus imports) totaled an estimated 1.114 million lb in December, 1.2% over the December 2011 total of 1.101 million lb.

Aluminum sheet and plate demand totaled 667 million lb in December, off 1.6%, while extruded products were down 5.4% year-over-year to 216 million lb.

Estimated shipments of aluminum ingot for castings, exports and other uses totaled 570 million lb, up 12.6% over last year. Apparent consumption in domestic US and Canadian markets totaled 1.427 billion lb in December, increasing 5% over the December 2011 total of 1.359 billion lb.

Producer inventories totaled 2.426 billion lb in December, up from the November level of 2.415 billion lb. Compared with a year ago, producer inventories were up 4.1%.

The Aluminum Association, in cooperation with the Aluminum Association of Canada, reported primary aluminum production in North America (US and Canada) was at an annual rate of 5.012 million mt during January 2013, increasing from the December 2012 rate of 5 million mt.

Compared with a year ago, the annual rate of production was 4.2% above the January 2012 rate of 4.810 million mt. During 2012, actual production totaled 4,851,056 mt, off 2.4% from 2011.

The US aluminum industry purchased an estimated 733 million lb of aluminum scrap in December, according to the US Geological Survey. That is up 7.7% over the December 2011 total of 681 million lb.

The USGS estimated that recovery of aluminum and aluminum alloys totaled 578 million lb, 7% ahead of last year. During 2012, preliminary data indicated that recovery of aluminum from scrap totaled an estimated 7.522 billion lb, up 9.8% over 2011. US exports of scrap, not included in the government's consumption statistics, totaled 4.464 billion lb in 2012, off 2.1% from 2011.